ALBERTA LUELLA ANGELLO
December 15, 1929 – June 21, 2022
Our beloved mother was born on December 15, 1929, arriving 2 months premature in Mapleton, Iowa to Albert and Luella Koll. She came into the world with a feisty zest and lived her life well the same way. Berta passed peacefully into God's hands on June 21, 2022 in Bakersfield, California. She was the youngest of three, following two brothers, Norbert and Gene Koll.
She attended St. Mary's Catholic School and Mapleton High School, graduating in 1947. Berta and her family moved to Bakersfield, CA in 1948. While attending Bakersfield College, she met and fell in love with H. Robert (Bob) Thomas. Berta and Bob were married in 1951 prior to moving to Los Angeles, CA, so Bob could attend college at USC. They were blessed with two children, Susan and Doug, before moving back to Bakersfield in 1956, where soon Bill and Kirk followed.
After becoming a single mom in 1961, Berta attended B.C. earning her Nursing Degree. She first worked at Kern General Hospital and then at Mercy Hospital, working her way from hands-on nursing to supervisor. She loved her work, as well as her many wonderful co-workers who became her life long friends. In 1981 Berta married Andy Angello, gaining two sons, Chris and Mark. She retired in 1987 and enjoyed traveling with Andy, as well as learning to make items for her family, including her specialty, Nana's banana bread.
Berta lived independently after Andy passed in 2005 until she broke her hip in 2018. After recovering, she joined the Columbus Estates family, making friends with staff and residents alike. She enjoyed all of the activities they offered, especially BINGO. After declining in 2021, Berta moved to the Pointe at Summit Hills memory care unit where she eventually passed. Berta will be remembered as a happy, sweet, friendly, kind, funny, prayerful and of course feisty by all who knew her.
Berta was preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Luella, brothers Norbert (WWII pilot) and Gene Koll, husband Andy, granddaughters Meagan Thomas and Lisa Stoddard-Black, and daughter-in-law Liz Thomas.
She is survived by her children Susan (Mike) Stoddard, Doug Thomas, Bill (Daryn) Thomas, Kirk (Suzanne) Thomas, Chris (Sharon) Angello, and Mark (Chryl) Angello. Grandchildren, Lynette Coleman, Kristen Baquio, Nick Thomas, Taylor Plunkett, Grayson Thomas, Drew Thomas, Kara Marchbanks, Jared Thomas, Ashley Reno, Holly Aleman, Jason Angello, Brianne Vollmer and spouses, Lindsi and Dustin Angello, and 27 great-grandchildren.
The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Columbus Estates, who made mom such a part of their family for 3 years, the staff at the Pointe Memory Care, who gave mom such sweet loving care, and her Hoffmann Hospice angels, who loved her and said they were privileged to know her.
Visitation will be Friday, July 1, 2022 at Greenlawn NE from 4:00pm – 8:00pm, with a Rosary at 6:00pm. Services will be held Saturday, July 2, 2022 at OLPH Catholic Church, 124 Columbus St. at 11:00am. Graveside service will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. Jude's Children's Hospital, Bakersfield Pregnancy Center, Hoffmann Hospice or a charity of your choice.
Berta will forever be in our hearts and missed deeply.